Niggli Tabbed Big South Pitcher of the Week for Second Time

John Niggli was named the Big South Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, Monday.

Liberty right-hander John Niggli has been named the Big South Pitcher of the Week for games played Feb. 27-March 4. It is the second time this season that Niggli has received the weekly award.

Niggli recorded his first complete game of the season, allowing just two hits in a 2-0 shutout of Coppin State, Saturday afternoon. It was his first career shutout and already the team's single-season record fifth of the year. The right-hander previously earned the conference's Pitcher of the Week for the opening weekend, Feb. 17-19.

Niggli held the Eagles to a .071 batting average, as just four Coppin State batters reached base during the game. The right-hander struck out a career-high 12 batters and walked two. He set down the side in order in five of the nine innings and finished the contest by retiring nine consecutive hitters.

His nine shutout innings were part of a school-record 39 consecutive innings during which Liberty did not allow a run. In addition, Niggli's blanking was the middle game of three consecutive shutouts by the Flames, the first time in program history that Liberty has achieved the feat.

For the year, Niggli is 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA over 20 2/3 innings of work. The senior has struck out a team-high 18 batters and walked four. Two of his three outings on the year have been shutouts, as he also combined with four other pitchers in a 12-0 blanking of Richmond to open the season on Feb. 17.

Liberty will travel across the Commonwealth to Norfolk, Va., tomorrow to face the Old Dominion Monarchs. First pitch at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex is scheduled for 3 p.m.